Quotes from Jerry West

When it's time for me to walk away from something, I walk away from it. My mind, my body, my conscience tell me that enough is enough.

A couple teams will grind the shot clock down. Most of the time coaches do that, it's usually a talent deficit. They can't compete against the better teams.

As a player all you can do is play within yourself, even in the context of a team sport.

The marketing of players has created untold wealth for many sports stars. You can't blame them or the company that covets the relationship with them, but that doesn't mean the player is good.

Basketball came to me and for some reason it gave me an opportunity to live a life that I didn't dream possible. But it did let me live my dreams.

If I'm not nervous, if I don't have at least a little bit of the same self-doubt and anxious feelings I had when I started playing, then it will be time for me to go on. I must have that tension.

I hated to miss games... at the height of my career, I missed a lot of games due to... just a hamstring pull. And I hated sitting out. I just hated it. You play for your team, but you also play for the people who attend the games.

A lot of people would be happy that they got through a long career and had a chance to play as many times in the finals. To me, I wanted to win for the franchise and for the people. And when you can't do that, it's devastating, particularly for someone like me.

Self-esteem is something I still battle. People look at me and say, 'You've got fame. You've got admiration. You've done this; you've done that.' As far as I'm concerned, I haven't done anything. I've just fulfilled a dream of competing.

I've seen a lot in my life. I've seen a lot of winning. I've seen a lot of testing times. I think when you're tested, you really find out what you're made of, OK?

Everyone always says you have to be on the best team, the team that wins. Oh, no, no, no. I disagree with that.

When it's time for me to walk away from something, I walk away from it. My mind, my body, my conscience tell me that enough is enough.

I don't really want to go into my problems with the team at the time except to say that no one's ever had to pay me to play basketball.

I like to keep people guessing.

I have often wondered why I was never captain of the Lakers.

You need lofty goals. Then cement it with a great work ethic.

I've always been someone who has been very driven. I think my circumstances, how I grew up, hard work and work ethic are absolutely vital to any success that people might have, regardless of what they might be doing.

It was clear to me that I was never going to be the same kind of player I had been. It was time to quit.

I'm just ultracompetitive. I will be till they put me in the grave.

I'm not one who likes to be honored, to be honest with you. That's never been who I am.

Obviously, stats are important tools, but I think there's something behind those things; somewhere along the way, you've got to try to look inside someone.

I went a few times, but I felt there was no way that any therapist could understand my particular torment and also felt in some respects they were sicker than I was.

I enjoy winning, but more importantly, I enjoy the people I'm around.

I've always been really nationalistic, and I had a brother killed in Korea. And I think the 'Star Spangled Banner,' even today - and I've heard it a heckuva lot of times, OK - has always been a significant feeling to me.